After a 4-7 2004 season, Snyder's second worst in his first 16 seasons, the Wildcats now face somewhere between a four-win to six-win 2005 year.
And, for the first time since 1991-1992, K-State faces the possibility of going without postseason play in consecutive seasons.
"I don't know if we've ever gone through back-to-back years like we're going through right now," Snyder said. "We have nothing to equate it to."
Painful?
"It's not come without its disappointment," he said. "It's painful, sure."
Surprised?
"Nothing surprises me," he said. "I labor under the assumption if you do it the way it should be done, you'll have success. If you don't, you probably won't. If you're not doing things as well as you should, you're not surprised when you lose some ball games."
Kansas State has certainly done that in 2005, not to mention 2004, going a collective 3-11 in Big 12 play. Of those 11 losses, four have been by seven points or less, and another three by 10 to 12 points.
This year, the Wildcats rank last in the league in rushing, total offense, punt returns and third-down conversions, plus rank in the bottom three in turnover-margin and penalties.
A talent problem?
No, says Snyder: "We've won ball games with less talent that what we have right now."
While such a thought makes life even more frustrating, Snyder remains optimistic.
Young people, he says, are very "resilient," and, he adds, "I think coaches, particularly if you've been in coaching for a considerable period of time, you see all sides of it and experience all sides of it. You have the joys, the pains and the suffering over a period of time.
"Because of that, you gain some resilience that is normally reserved for youth," said the 66-year-old Snyder. "OK, today's not the best day in the world, but tomorrow's got a chance, and the next day has a chance."
Snyder also went into the coaching lingo of taking it one Saturday at a time. Focusing on the Jayhawks, then the Red Raiders, then the Aggies, and so on.
"It really is that way," Snyder said. "Most coaches really do buy into that principle. When you do, even though as painful as it is not being successful, there is always that hope and that promise that the future holds something brighter, with the future being the next game you play."
It's this attitude that the Wildcats appreciate, and need.
"He's a constant man," KSU senior Jeromey Clary said. "Whether wining 11, 12, going to the Holiday or Fiesta Bowl, he's the same man. He doesn't change from week to week.
"With a head coach, you need to have a stability. You don't want someone who shows panic. You want him to show confidence and show he's composed," Clary said. "His idea is to stay steady, stay stable, and let us feed off of that."
The next opportunity for Kansas State to feed will be at Nebraska on Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln starting at 1 p.m.
That's where K-State will be trying to snap a four-game losing streak; that's where Nebraska will be attempting to break a three-game skid.
Nebraska coach Bill Callahan knows exactly what Snyder is thinking.
This week, he's said:
• "I see progress. I see it internally," just like Snyder has felt about his Wildcats.
• "I think there's always room for improvement. I think you always can get better," just like Snyder has felt about his Wildcats.
• These kids care. They're concerned," just like Snyder has felt about his Wildcats.
• And, like Snyder has said, "We want to win. That's the bottom line. It's a win business."
And Saturday, one of the two teams will finally win, while the other will lose ... again.
So, has all the above changed the disposition of the Wildcat coach?
"I've always been cantankerous," Snyder said. "I don't know if it's changed anything."
Clary honored
Kansas State's Jeromey Clary has been selected to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 7 football second team.
Clary, who is a two-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree, owns a 3.41 GPA in psychology and will graduate in December.
Saturday at Nebraska, he'll be making his 36th consecutive start on the Wildcats' offensive line.
